According to the Daily Mail, veteran Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is set to move to Premier League rivals Manchester City this summer.

The 34-year-old’s contract at the Emirates Stadium this season and it now looks inevitable that he will leave the north London club at the expiration of his contract.

City have endured a disappointing campaign this season and a place in the Champions League is even in jeopardy. The Gunners face City this weekend, with Pellegrini’s side odds of 6/4 to claim a win over Arsene Wenger’s side.

Pep Guardiola wants him on his backroom staff

Former-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola is taking over at City this summer from Manuel Pellegrini and is believed to be keen on having his compatriot on his backroom staff. They are reported to be friends off the pitch after the pair spent time together at Barcelona at the start of Arteta’s career.

Arteta is even reported to have been house hunting in the North West, where he had previously played for Everton for six years prior to joining the Gunners back in 2011 for £10million.

Guardiola is obviously keen on bringing in a new backroom staff to attempt to turn things around next season and Arteta seems to be part of his recruitment drive.

A bit-part player for Arsenal

Over the past few years the Spaniard has increasingly become a bit-part player for the Gunners, as Arsene Wenger has looked for a player to add more steel to the defensive midfield role in his team.

Arteta was more of a deep-lying playmaker in the defensive midfielder role the midfield enforcer Arsenal had need for a long time. He did a decent job in the position, but better teams exposed the Gunners lack of steel in the centre of the park with Arteta in the defensive midfield role.

Time for change

Arteta has been a decent servant and a very professional captain for the club from north London. However this summer looks to be one of change with fellow midfielders Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky expected to join Arteta in leaving Arsenal this summer.

The trio are all coming to the end of their careers and all would struggle to get into the Gunners team next season, after the signing of Mohamed Elneny and emergence of Francis Coquelin.

The trio have given their all for the Gunners and I am sure that they will leave the club with the best wishes of Arsenal fans.